Summary: RingCentral and 8x8 are cloud phone systems with VoIP telephony, SMS, team chat, and video meetings. Both platforms offer mobile and desktop apps with routing features like IVR, call queues, call monitoring, and real-time analytics.
However, RingCentral’s plans are generally cheaper and include more comprehensive team chat features. While 8x8 is costlier, it offers a much larger unlimited calling area and supports unlimited texting–while RingCentral imposes restrictive monthly SMS texting limits.
RingCentral’s plans offer better value for teams prioritizing call routing and team collaboration, while 8x8’s plans provide better value for unlimited texting and international calling.
- At a Glance
- Pricing
- Phone System
- SMS Texting
- Team Messaging
- Video Meetings
- Analytics
- Which Should You Choose?
How We Compared RingCentral and 8x8
I compared RingCentral and 8x8 based on general value, channel offerings, features, user experience, and unlimited calling area.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what I tested and evaluated:
- Pricing and value: I looked at each plan’s channel offerings and features, considering their “bang for your buck” compared to each other and the overall market
- User experience: I tested the user interface on mobile and desktop, considering how intuitively you can access basic controls, channels, and features
- Calling and texting limitations: I compared each provider’s unlimited calling area and monthly SMS texting allotments
- Phone system and routing features: I tested both platforms’ routing systems, including IVR menus and call queues, to evaluate how much you can customize inbound call handling
- Team collaboration features: I hosted video meetings and participated in team chat to check out collaborative features
- Integrations: I inspected the number and quality of third-party integrations that each platform offers, looking for popular CRM and collaboration software like Salesforce and Slack
RingCentral vs 8x8 at a Glance
RingCentral and 8x8 have VoIP, SMS, team chat, video meetings, and strong routing features. However, RingEX has lower costs, more collaborative team chat, and AI-focused video features; 8x8’s phone system supports a wider unlimited calling area and unlimited texting.
| RingCentral | 8x8 | |
| Pricing | 3 plans from $20 to $35 monthly per user | 2 plans with quote-based pricing |
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| Integrations | Over 300 integrations, including:
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60 integrations, including:
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| Best for | Companies seeking a phone system with team collaboration | Companies with high SMS or international call volumes |
RingCentral vs 8x8: Pricing and Value
Summary: Although 8x8 does not publicize pricing information, just a few months ago their X2 and X4 plans cost $24 and $44 monthly per user–slightly above average for a VoIP system. On the other hand, RingCentral’s plans range from $20 to $35 monthly–making it roughly 20-30% cheaper, depending on the plan.
RingCentral’s plans are slightly cheaper for routing features and basic communication channels–VoIP, SMS, team chat, and video conferencing–plus basic IVR and queuing. RingCentral also offers cheaper higher-tier plans than 8x8 for advanced features like call monitoring and business analytics.
However, each 8x8 plan supports unlimited texting in the US, which RingCentral doesn’t offer on any plan. 8x8’s X2 and X4 plans have 14-country and 48-country unlimited calling areas, respectively–providing better value than RingCentral for those who plan to text a lot, or frequently call internationally.
Winner: RingCentral. Generally, RingCentral’s plans are more cost-effective than 8x8’s.
RingCentral vs 8x8: Phone System and Calling Area
Summary: RingCentral and 8x8 both offer crystal-clear audio and call routing features like IVR menus, queueing, and call monitoring. While RingCentral’s call distribution rules are more customizable, 8x8 has a much larger unlimited calling area.
The RingEX phone system offers unlimited calling inside the US and Canada, with metered calling available globally. 8x8 has a much wider international calling area–either 14 or 48 countries, depending on your plan. Both providers offer DID and toll-free numbers from over 100 countries globally.
Both providers offer flexible routing tools like call queues, IVR menus, and ring groups. However, RingEX’s call routing features are slightly more customizable than 8x8’s. Higher-tier RingCentral plans include advanced call distribution rules like skills-based routing, which connect with your CRM system.
Winner: Tie. 8x8 has a larger unlimited calling area, but RingCentral offers more intricate call routing.
RingCentral vs 8x8: SMS Texting
Summary: 8x8 wins the SMS category because it offers unlimited SMS texting on all plans, while RingCentral’s three plans limit users to 25, 100, and 200 monthly texts per user. Teams that anticipate high SMS volumes will find better value with 8x8.
Both providers let you text from desktop or mobile, send images, and create SMS templates—also, both RingCentral and 8x8 offer SMS APIs that support marketing campaigns. However, 8x8’s SMS APIs unlock a slightly wider range of use cases across your customer journey: automate shipping notifications, delivery updates, and embedded links.
Winner: 8x8, since it supports unlimited texting while RingEX has restrictive limits.
RingCentral vs 8x8: Team Messaging
Summary: RingCentral and 8x8 both offer team messaging channels with file sharing, threads, and emoji reactions. However, RingEX messaging outperforms 8x8’s with its project management offerings and the option to initiate team video huddles with one click.
Both platforms integrate team chat into the user dashboard on desktop and mobile. The features are comparable, with the ability to send 1:1 or group chat messages and share links. However, RingCentral outperforms 8x8 with some unique features. The RingCentral chat interface lets you assign tasks and deadlines to teammates, and users can jump ito team video huddles with one click.
Winner: RingCentral, since its team messaging has project-management features and instant team huddles.
RingCentral vs 8x8: Video Meetings
Summary: RingCentral’s video meetings have better AI features like live transcripts and summaries, but 8x8s have a higher participant capacity and support live streaming to YouTube. Both platforms support collaborative features.
RingCentral’s HD meetings last up to 24 hours and support 100 or 200 participants, depending on your plan. 8x8’s meetings have no time limit and hold up to 500 participants–over double what RingCentral meetings support.
8x8 offers live streaming to YouTube, which unlocks unique webinar use cases that RingCentral can’t match. And while 8x8 has some collaborative tools like breakout rooms, team chat, and live polls, RingCentral’s collaborative tools are way more advanced. RingCentral’s meetings have AI tools like live transcription, summaries, and auto-generated highlights–plus whiteboards and synchronous notes. RingCentral also offers dozens more video-focused integrations than 8x8.
Winner: RingCentral. RingCentral’s video meetings have better collaborative features and AI tools, while 8x8 has the advantage of live streaming and massive meeting capacity.
RingCentral vs 8x8: Analytics and AI
Summary: RingCentral and 8x8 both have real-time analytics displaying queue status, agent activity, call volume, channel usage, and more. However, RingCentral has a slight upper hand over 8x8 with more customizable reports and dashboards.
The providers are pretty evenly matched in analytics: both display real-time call volume, agent status, and queue activity. Track the total number of calls, inbound vs outbound, missed vs answered, and the number of transfers–which you can sort by day, hour, user, or queue. Supervisors can monitor queue waiting times, the average waiting time, answer speed, and more.
However, RingCentral lets you combine widgets, visuals, and KPIs into custom dashboards, which you can’t do on 8x8.
Winner: RingCentral, due to its customizable dashboards.
RingCentral vs 8x8: Which Provider Should You Choose?
RingCentral’s UCaaS platform is better for companies prioritizing a cost-effective phone system and team collaboration, while 8x8 is better for companies that frequently text or call internationally. Both phone systems provide a strong option for call routing features, large-capacity video meetings, and team chat.
To compare more providers, check out our comparison of the top business VoIP systems.
RingCentral is Best For
- Cost-effective phone system: RingEX’s $20 monthly Core plan includes a full suite of routing features–IVR, call queues, and ring groups–making a more budget-friendly phone system than 8x8
- AI video meetings: With auto-generated transcripts and summaries, RingCentral’s video meetings incorporate AI while 8x8’s do not
- Team collaboration: RingCentral’s team chat and video meetings include unique features that 8x8 doesn’t have–like project management and whiteboards
RingCentral is Not Ideal For
- SMS texting: RingCentral’s SMS limitations are too low for teams that like to text a lot
- Huge companies: The video meetings on low-tier plans limit you to 100 participants, while 8x8 supports up to five times that amount
8x8 is Best For
- Unlimited texting: While RingCentral limits users to roughly 200 texts per month, 8x8 supports unlimited texting across the US
- Large unlimited calling area: 8x8’s two plans support 14- and 48-country unlimited calling areas, while RingCentral only supports unlimited calling across North America. Teams that frequently call internationally may find great value in 8x8
8x8 is Not Ideal For
- Low-cost VoIP: 8x8’s plans are costlier than not only RingCentral’s but most other VoIP providers
- AI video meetings: While 8x8 meetings support a large participant capacity, they don’t offer the advanced AI or team collaboration features that RingCentral has
